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Artificial intelligence‘s (AI) potential involvement in the development of biological weapons (bioweapons) is a concerning prospect. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt warned that AI might contribute to biological conflicts, with malicious actors potentially gaining access to virus databases and causing widespread harm. Several experiments have indicated that AI can augment the potency of viruses, molecules, and harmful bacteria, even increasing the effectiveness of nerve agents like VX.
The situation demands careful consideration and responsible use of AI when it comes to biological weapons. A vital step towards addressing this issue would be for all nations to come together and agree upon a unified set of terms and conditions that govern the exploration of AI’s role in this domain. One of the paramount conditions in such an agreement should be an unequivocal ban on the application of AI to harm human beings.
What Is a Biological Weapon?
Biological weapons are microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, or toxic substances, produced by living organisms. These microorganisms can be processed or modified to spread on a large scale among humans, posing significant public health challenges due to rapidly spreading diseases and epidemics.
The consequences can be disastrous, resulting in permanent disability and mass casualties. VX and Sarin are recognized as two of the most lethal nerve agents.
History of Bioweapons Use
This article emphasizes the devastating potential of biological weapons, underscoring the need for strict regulation regarding their development by AI. Several historical examples of biological weapons use serve to illustrate this point.
| Date | Historical Examples of Biological Weapons Use |
| 1495 | The Spanish mixed the blood of leprosy patients with wine and sold it to their French enemies. |
| 1650 | The Polish fired the saliva of rabid dogs toward their enemies. |
| 1763 | The British distributed blankets used by smallpox patients to the Native Americans. |
| 1797 | Napoleon had the plains of Mantua, Italy, which enabled the spreading of malaria. |
| 1863 | The Confederates sold clothing used by yellow fever and smallpox patients to the Union troops in the U.S. |
These examples demonstrate that biological weapons can be employed subtly and can be equally, if not more, dangerous than traditional weapons. The fact that human beings have recognized their lethal potential and used them to achieve their objectives is distressing. Considering the advancements AI can bring, the potential for even more sophisticated, sly, and subtle biological weapons increases.
Thus, strict regulation and monitoring of all such programs become imperative.
Ethics and Biological Weapons
Bioterrorism is a big and complex challenge that nations face. After 9/11, numerous letters containing Anthrax bacteria were mailed to U.S. senators and media houses, resulting in two deaths and infections.
While facing bioterrorism remains a challenge, the ethical responsibilities of managing biological programs solely fall on the nations.
You don’t expect terrorists to have ethics.
The Role of AI in Bioweapons
AI has been discovered to have the capability of easily and rapidly generating harmful microorganisms. To investigate this matter, the Swiss Federal Institute for Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Protection commissioned four scientists to assess AI’s potential in generating biological agents. Astonishingly, within just 6 hours, the scientists managed to produce a staggering 40,000 harmful agents.
Fabio Urbina, one of the researchers, expressed concern not only about the AI-generated “molecules,” many of which resembled chemical warfare agents, but also about the alarming ease with which they were created. Urbina pointed out:
“A lot of the things we used are out there for free. You can download a toxicity dataset from anywhere.”
Given these worrisome findings, the primary challenge lies in regulating AI rather than merely overseeing the production of biological agents. Consequently, it becomes crucial to address how AI should be regulated and monitored within this context.
Strengthening Biosecurity: Safeguarding Public Health Systems
Microorganisms are the primary source of bioweapons, and the entire public health system, including hospitals, clinics, laboratories, garbage disposals, and other facilities handling biological waste, can be vulnerable to exploitation by malicious actors seeking to develop such weapons. Therefore, it is imperative to rigorously monitor and regulate the public health system in all countries.
The following measures should be taken to address these critical concerns:
- Develop an effective and standard methodology for waste disposal, especially for toxic and contagious wastes from hospitals and clinics, considering both research and destruction purposes.
- Ensure institutions are accountable for tracking the use and annihilation of biological wastes, and personnel involved in waste research, disposal, and destruction undergo proper identification and background checks.
- Provide comprehensive training and sensitization to physicians, nurses, and healthcare workers to identify and investigate unusual symptoms, with a focus on tracking the source of these symptoms.
- Establish close coordination between the public health system and cyber-terrorism departments, enabling smooth information exchange to monitor internet activity for uploads of toxin datasets, microorganisms, and nerve agent data, with a particular emphasis on addressing the unauthorized availability of toxin datasets.
- Create a dedicated watchdog to regulate and develop a framework for AI development related to biological products. Ensure that any AI development pertaining to public health undergoes stringent and multi-level approval processes before being made available, considering the potential risks posed by cyber-terrorism and AI-powered attacks.
The Bottom Line
Governments and public health systems have been slow to acknowledge the gravity of the potential risks posed by the convergence of AI and bioweapons. Addressing these threats is a complex and costly undertaking. To effectively counter the dangers, governments must implement strict regulations to prevent profit-driven enterprises from enabling uncontrolled AI development. Moreover, it is crucial to recognize that biological warfare is a multifaceted, subtle, and long-term issue.
Despite these challenges, some progress has already been made in response to these threats, and certain measures have been initiated. It’s vital for governments to demonstrate unwavering determination and perseverance over an extended period to ensure long-term success in combating this issue.
